MAPAL has expanded its OptiMill-HPC-Pocket family of solid-carbide milling cutters with new four-flute (Z4) length variants, giving manufacturers greater flexibility when selecting the optimum tool for pocket milling applications. Designed to deliver precision, efficiency and long tool life, the range combines advanced geometry, wear-resistant coatings and specially prepared cutting edges to ensure high process reliability.

Large chip spaces enable rapid chip evacuation at high material removal rates, while the patented plunge face with integrated drill tip supports a wide range of operations, including pocket milling, groove milling, helix milling and ramping at angles of up to 45°.

The OptiMill-Uni-HPC-Pocket for steel and cast materials has been established in the market for a decade in its three-flute configuration. The addition of a four-flute version increases machining speeds while drawing on MAPAL’s expertise in pocket and trochoidal milling to machine deep cavities efficiently. Available in short, long and overlong versions, the new tools allow users to select the shortest practical cutter for each application, reducing carbide consumption, improving rigidity and lowering tooling costs.

MAPAL recommends the three-flute version for applications requiring frequent plunging, while the four-flute alternative is optimised for circumferential machining, offering higher productivity and longer tool life.

The aluminium-specific OptiMill-Alu-HPC-Pocket range has also been expanded with long and overlong four-flute variants to meet increasing demand for higher machining speeds and greater productivity.

Available in diameters from 3.8 to 20 mm, the complete OptiMill-HPC-Pocket family is suited to general engineering, mould and die manufacture, deep-pocket machining, and aerospace aluminium applications. By combining multiple machining operations in a single tool, the range reduces tool changes, improves process stability and delivers lower tooling costs alongside higher productivity, making it well suited to both high-volume and flexible manufacturing. More information www.mapal.com

For the first time in eight years, Walter will return to the AMB exhibition in Stuttgart from 15-19 September, where visitors to Hall 3, Stand 3E50 can explore the company’s ‘The Right Match’ philosophy. The exhibition theme demonstrates how manufacturers can benefit from solutions that span the entire machining process chain.

Today’s metalworking businesses face growing pressure to increase productivity, improve quality, reduce costs and operate more sustainably. At the same time, new materials, shorter development cycles and the need for stable, repeatable processes are making manufacturing more complex than ever.

Walter’s response is a holistic approach that combines cutting tools, engineering expertise, digital solutions and technical support to deliver the optimum solution for every application. ‘The Right Match’ represents the point where customer requirements, machining technology and application knowledge come together to create measurable manufacturing benefits.

This philosophy forms the basis of Walter’s AMB 2026 exhibition. Rather than focusing solely on products, the stand will demonstrate how integrated solutions can improve productivity, process reliability and efficiency across the entire manufacturing process.

Visitors will be guided through the complete process chain, from process planning and tool selection to machining strategies, reconditioning and recycling services. Practical examples from the aerospace, automotive and general engineering sectors will show how Walter combines tooling, digital technologies and engineering support to solve real manufacturing challenges.

The guided tour reinforces a simple message: the best machining results are achieved when every application is matched with the right combination of technology, expertise and service. Walter will demonstrate this approach throughout AMB 2026, inviting visitors to discover how ‘The Right Match’ can help optimise their manufacturing operations.

More information www.walter-tools.com

Guhring has expanded its thread-milling range with the introduction of the SC-TM-Z SP high-performance full-profile thread milling cutter. Designed to create a complete thread in just two revolutions, the new tool reduces cycle times while adding to one of the industry’s most comprehensive thread-milling portfolios.

According to Guhring UK national sales manager Chris Bush, the company now offers solutions ranging from micro and single-pitch thread mills to combination drill, chamfer and thread mills, providing manufacturers with options for virtually every threading application.

The SC-TM-Z SP is available in metric and metric fine sizes from M3 to M20. Its staggered-tooth, staggered-pitch design, combined with a patent-pending flute geometry, minimises radial forces and vibration, eliminating the need for a spring pass. The result is higher cutting speeds, improved dimensional accuracy and a more reliable machining process.

In performance trials, the cutter machined an M10 thread to 2.5xD in ST52 carbon steel 55% faster than a competing tool, while extending tool life by 17%, from 700 to 820 components. Guhring attributes this performance to the combination of its premium carbide substrate, Sirius coating and advanced cutting geometry.

Suitable for steels, stainless steels, cast irons, non-ferrous materials and heat-resistant alloys, the SC-TM-Z SP maintains true-to-gauge performance to thread depths of up to 2.5xD, delaying tool radius correction and extending process stability.

To support users, Guhring provides free access to its CNC Guhro ThreadMill programming generator, which produces programs for Siemens, Heidenhain, FANUC, Mazatrol and Hurco controls. The company also offers on-site technical support through a team of 20 field engineers across the UK and Ireland. More information www.guhring.co.uk